The invention relates to an arrangement for connecting a first component having a threaded bore with a second component by means of a screw and a helical spring surrounding it, which passes through the second component and engages with a threaded structure of this component, so that its section located between the two components forms a spacer with an adjustable axial dimension.
By means of such arrangements, it is possible to firmly connect two components disposed at a mutual spacing by clamping them together with the spacer being sandwiched therebetween. Then, the spacer permits to compensate tolerances in the spacing between the two components.
When a suitable frictional contact exists between the screw and the helical spring, it can be accomplished that the helical spring is entrained for rotary movement when the screw is screwed-in, so that the spring changes its axial position relative to the threaded structure until the end of the spring engages the first component and thereby automatically compensates for the tolerance. When the screw is screwed further into the threaded bore of the first component, the frictional contact permits the screw to slip in the helical spring, so that the spring retains its position.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,441,980 B2 discloses an arrangement of this type in which the threaded structure at the second component is formed by an annular flange which is interrupted at one point and extends in the shape of a screw turn and engages between the turns of the helical spring. When the second component is a sheet metal, the threaded structure can directly be punched into the edge of a hole through which the screw is inserted.
When such an arrangement is assembled, it is possible to first bring the helical spring into engagement with the threaded structure and then to insert the screw, or the helical spring is seated already on the screw and is then screwed into the threaded structure while the screw is screwed into the threaded bore of the first component. In the former case, it often turns out to be difficult to insert the screw into the helical spring that projects from the sheet metal. This is particularly the case for narrow assembling sites and/or in situations in which the view onto the connection point is restricted. In the latter case, it often turns out to be difficult to arrange the helical spring and the threaded structure such that the end of the helical spring will automatically be caught in the threaded structure when the spring is screwed in. In the known arrangement, the step of the engaging the spring in the threaded structure shall be facilitated by somewhat bending the end of the wire that forms the last turn of the helical spring away from the helical spring. However, such a shape of the helical spring is difficult to establish, in particular when the helical spring is made of a hard spring steel for reasons of mechanical strength.
DE 10 2012 110 352 discloses a connecting arrangement in which the spacer is formed by a helical spring and a pot-shaped member that is in thread engagement with the helical spring. This spacer is then clamped between the two components to be connected.